/*
 * The MIT License (MIT)
 *
 * Copyright (c) 2013 AlgorithmX2
 *
 * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
 * this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
 * the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to
 * use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of
 * the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
 * subject to the following conditions:
 *
 * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
 * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
 *
 * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
 * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
 * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
 * COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER
 * IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
 * CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 */

package appeng.api.storage.cells;

import java.util.List;

import appeng.api.storage.IMEInventoryHandler;
import appeng.api.storage.IStorageChannel;

/**
 * Allows you to provide cells via non IGridHosts directly to the storage
 * system, drives, and similar features should go though {@link ICellContainer}
 * and be automatically handled by the storage system.
 */
public interface ICellProvider {

    /**
     * Inventory of the tile for use with ME, should always return an valid list,
     * never NULL.
     *
     * You must return the correct Handler for the correct channel, if your handler
     * returns a IAEItemStack handler, for a Fluid Channel stuffs going to explode,
     * same with the reverse.
     *
     * @return a valid list of handlers, NEVER NULL
     */
    List<IMEInventoryHandler> getCellArray(IStorageChannel<?> channel);

    /**
     * the storage's priority.
     *
     * Positive and negative are supported
     */
    int getPriority();
}
